The impact of air pollution on regional innovation: empirical evidence based on 267 cities in China.

Based on the spatially correlated effects of air pollution on regional innovation, theoretical hypotheses are proposed, and this paper employs a spatial Durbin model to conduct empirical tests using panel data from 267 Chinese cities from 2003 to 2019, and investigates the mediating effect of human capital. Research has shown that (1) air pollution significantly reduces regional innovation output and has a negative spatial spillover effect significantly in the short term; (2) in the process of regional innovation impacted by air pollution, human capital acts as a mediator role; and (3) analysis of heterogeneity reveals that, from the regional perspective, air pollution has significantly damaged regional innovation in eastern and middle cities, but not significantly influences western cities, and in terms of innovation types, there is a stronger detrimental effect on invention patents exerted by air pollution compared to non-innovation patents. The study's findings provide theoretical and empirical evidence to strengthen environmental governance, enhance regional innovation and promote the coordinated development of regional innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]